Saturday, December 18, 2010

Gluten Free Cookie Exchange


I encourage everyone to do a gluten free baking exchange of some sort with friends that are gluten free. It is fun, saves time, increases the variety of treats around during the holidays, and is a simple act of kindness.
My cookie exchange started the first year my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. A woman that worked with my husband heard about my daughter and arrived at work one day with 2 huge bags of gluten free food, filled with all of her personal favourites! Months later, I wanted to do something special for her, so I showed up to the office Christmas party with a platter of our gluten free favourites. This lead to an annual gluten free baking exchange, which we all treasure!
This year I made gluten free home made chocolates, gluten free snickerdoodles, gluten free thumbprint cookies filled with black raspberry jam and apricot preserve, and gluten free Hershey's peanut butter blossoms. Even my mom got into the spirit of giving and added gluten free chocolate chip cookies to the platter.
I made so many cookies that we have enough leftover to make up a second tray that our dietition will give to a gluten free family in need. "Paying it forward", that is what our special friend, Denise, has taught us.
This annual cookie exchange is always a reminder for me of how lucky we are to be surrounded by people who are kind and make our world a better place.
I look forward to next year's cookie exchange already!

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